Parcel-delivery-vehicle body.



' E. E. GREENE.

PARCEL DELIVERY VEHICLE BODY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1913- Patented Oct. 20, 1914. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. E. GREENE.

PARCEL DELIVERY VEHICLE BODY.

APPLICATION FILED nov.1s, 1913.

1,113,985, Patented 0ct.20,1914.

Manna-sum 2.

ROBERT ENSLEY GREENE, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

PARGEL-DELIVEBY-VEHIGLE BODY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application filed November 13,1913. Serial No. 800,797.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT ENsL Y GREENE, a citizen of the United States, residing at .Memphis, in the county of Shelby 7 and State of Tennessee, have invented oer-- tain new and useful Im rovements in Parcel-Delivery-Vehicle Bo ice; and I do hereby declare the followin same.

This invention relates to vehicle bodies especially adapted for the delivery of parcels; and has for its object to utilize the space within such bodies in a manner more economical and more convenient than has been he etofore proposed. I w

ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views :-Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the body of a delivery wagon made in accordance withmy invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevational longitudinal sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of my vehicle body; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating the inclined re-- movable shelves which I prefer to employ; and Fig. 6 is a sectional plan View of a modified form of m invention.

1 indicates any suitable vehicle body provided with a pairof doors 2 on each side thereof, hinged as at '3 and provided with any suitable means such as the springs 4 for keeping them normally open, while latches 5 or other devices are employed to keep them closed against -the action of the 6 represents a drivers seat; 7, a front compartment; and 8, a roof which extends sufiiciently' far beyond the sides 9 of the body to protect the doors 2 when they are open, as will be clear from Figs. 2 and 4.

On the interior of the body 1, I provide at to be a full,-.clear,. and exact description 0 the invention, such: as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and-use the the front portion a series of shelves 11 which are preferably inclined as shown, and also preferably removable as best illustrated 'n Fig. 5. At the rear of the body I provide nother series of shelves 12 which are or may be of the same construction as the shelves 11. Thelower portion or bed of the I body 13 is preferably cut away, as at 14, to

render it more easy to remove parcels from the bottom compartment 15, and the doors 2 are preferably extended down into the said cut-away portion 14, as will be clear from Figs. 3 and 4. The said doors 2 are four in number, as shown, and are each provided wlth a serles of shelves 10 which are also preferably inclined as illustrated. The

.each side of said. bodies of such dimensions as Will permit the said shelves 10 to extend so far inward as to only leave a space 17 which is not wider than is the depth of the said shelves 10.

Since the shelves '11 and 12 fit snugly against the doors 2, and since the said shelves 10 are only separated by a space 17, I utilize all of the space in the wagon body for shelf room, except the comparatively small space 17 in the center of the interior, and the comparatively small space 18, Fig. 2, which lies between the vertical tiers of shelves 10 on each pair of doors. The space 17 is by no means waste or lost space, because the ends of the parcels occupying the shelves 10 are liable to project outward of the shelves on the doors 2. These shelves 19 are of the shape illustrated in Fig. 6.

That is to say, they maybe considered as having a rectan ar port on as indicated by the dotted line, and a triangular portion 20 outside of said dotted line, which triangular portion occupies some of the space 18 which is unoccupied in Fig. 2. It therefore follows that in this form of the invention, more of the space 18 can be occupied by shelves than is the case in Fig. 2. In this said form of my invention, as well as in the preceding form, the dimensions of the doors are so chosen as to enable them to be readily opened and closed without interfering with each other, as will be clear from the drawings, and in this modified form of my invention, I also extend the roof 8 sufiiciently far beyond the sides 9 of the vehicle to protect the shelves 19 from the water when the doors 2 are open, as indicated in dotted lines in said Fig. 6.

In some cases, the rear end of the bed compartment 15 may be closed by means of the door 25 hinged as at. 26, and fastened as by any suitable means 27.

The operation of my invention will be clear from the foregoing, but may bebriefly summarized as follows :-The heavy or larger part of parcels are placed in the bed compartment 5, and the lighter parcels stored away upon the shelves 11 and 12 and upon the shelves 10 associated with the doors 2. The dimensions of an ordinary wagon body are such that with the disposition of the shelves thus indicated it is perfectly feasible and convenient for the driver to go to either side of the wagon, and while standing upon the ground, open the doors 2 on-the side chosen and then reach over the cut-away portion 14, select and remove any parcel that may be stored away in the compartment 15. While in the same position, it is also. perfectly feasible and convenient for him to reach. and select any parcels which may be stored upon the shelves 11 or 12, or upon the shelves 10, associated with the doors 2 on the side opposite to him, and which doors are normally closed. It is further possible and convenient for the driver without moving from his position to also select. and-remove any parcels which may beupon the shelves 10 of the doors 2 that he has opened. It thus follows by the construction I have disclosed that it is possible and convenient for the driver to readily reach any parcel at all in the wagon from a position on the ground outside of the wagon, while at the same time, substantially all of the space of the vehicle body is utilized for the storage of parcels, and while the said parcels are at all times protected from the water, which results have not all been attained in a single vehicle "body heretofore, so far as I am aware.

I By giving the shelves an inclination as indicated in- Fig. 5,, the parcels are held thereon when going over rough roads, and also when the wagon body is tipped to the front or tolthe rear or to either side. Further, by making the shelves readily removable as indicated, it is a simple matter to 'pull out one or more for the accommodation of large parcels, and to store thesaid shelves either in the bottom of the compartment 15 or in the bottom of the compartment 7 when they are not needed. a

It is obvious that those skilled in theart may vary the details of construction as well as the arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of my invention, and

therefore I do not wish to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

What I claim is 1. In a vehicle body the combination of a tier of shelves extending across the front portion of said body; a tier of shelves extending across the rear portion of said body;

a pair of. outwardly swinging doors on each side of saidbody and located between said front, and rear shelves; and a plurality of tiers of shelves carried by'said doors, substantially as described. I

2. In a vehicle-body provided .with a bottom compartment the combination of a tier of shelves extending across the front portion of said body above said compartment; a pair of shelves extending across the rear portion of said body above said compartment; a pair of outwardly swinging doors on each side of said body and located between said front and rear shelves; and a plurality of tiers of shelves carried by said doors, substantially as described.

3. In a vehicle body provided with a bottom compartment having partially cut away sides, the combination of-tiers of shelves at the front and rear of said body above said compartment; 3, pair of doors located on each side of said body positioned between said tiers of shelves and 'fitting said cutaway sides; and a tier of shelves carried by each door, substantially as described.

4. In a vehicle body provided with a bottom compartment having partially cutaway sides, the combination of tiers of readily removable inclined shelves at the front-and rear of said body above said compartment; a pair of outwardly swinging doors located on each side of said body, positioned between said tiers of shelves, and fitting said cutaway sides; and tiers of shelves cut away at their'meeting ends carried by said doors substantially as described.

5. In avehicle body the combination of a lurality of tiers of shelves located on the inside thereof; a pair of outwardly swinging doors on each side of said body be tween said tiers of shelves; a tier of shelves on each door adapted to swing in and out of said body; and a roof extending over said body and beyond the sides thereof to protect said last mentioned shelves when in their swung out positions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT ENSLEY GREENE.

Witnesses:

T. A. WITHERSPOON, JAs. H. BLAOKWOOD 

